As part of our efforts to help build a healthy Mississippi, our employees are also taking on the challenge of helping to enrich our communities. Through our Team Blue program, our employees are actively engaged in giving back to the community through thousands of hours of community service each year.

Known for its extensive support of local community organizations, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi is now building a home for a local Jackson family as part of a Covenant Build project. The home is under construction at 1027 Gentry Street in mid-town Jackson and will provide a home for Latoya Eubanks and her two children. Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi's Team Blue employees are providing 100% of the volunteer labor for the project, and HFHMCA will lead volunteers through the 8-10 week build process with support from experienced construction professionals. The family works alongside volunteers throughout the building process, which promotes pride and opportunity of home ownership.

Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi encourages employees to support their communities as a key component of healthy living, said Meredith Bailess, Manager of Corporate Communications with Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi. Our employees have shown they are passionate about helping others and dedicated to supporting organizations as part of Team Blue. The experience of working alongside Latoya and each other has truly been a gift for us all.

The Covenant Build project for the Eubanks family began June 7 and will extend into August.

We are grateful to Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi and its employees for their support of Habitat for Humanity Mississippi Capital Area (HFHMCA) and the Latoya Eubanks family, said Cindy Griffin, Executive Director of HFHMCA. They realize that a healthy home environment is critical to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and they are demonstrating that commitment by making a difference for a local family in need of a decent and affordable home.

We encourage volunteerism as part of a healthy lifestyle, and we support organizations that are also committed to promoting health and wellness in our community. Some of the organizations benefiting from our employees' efforts include Habitat for Humanity, the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, the Mustard Seed and other community events and activities geared toward improving the health and quality of life of Mississippians.

Our efforts to shape a healthy future for our state are also carried out through the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation, a subsidiary of Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi. The Foundation provides funding to organizations promoting health and wellness initiatives in schools, colleges and universities, communities and more. You can learn more about the Foundation's work at www.healthiermississippi.org.